Educational



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

A. EfSHAW. EDUCATIONAL APPLIANCE. No. 555,026.. vPatented Feb. I8, 1896.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

v A. E. SHAW. EDUCATIONAL 'APPLIANGE. No. 555,026. Patented Feb. 18, 1896.

QSL W mam RGRMMM. FMTU-UYHU. WASNINGION D C,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANNIE E. SHAW, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

EDUCATIONAL APPLIANCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 555,026, dated February 18, 1896.

Application filed August 24, 1895. Serial N0. 560,360. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ANNIE E. SHAW, a citizen of the United States, residing at Springfield, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Educational Appliances, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to novel educational appliances for facilitating the production of sand-modeled maps, which latter have acquired a recognized standing as an approved mode of inducing a realistic conception of the contour, topography and other characteristics of any given land.

Heretofore the outlines of the continent or other body or division of land have been traced out in a layer of sand on a flat support therefor, and the superfluous marginal portions carefully brushed away or otherwise removed. This is found slow, tedious, and to require unusual skill.

The present invention comprehends the employment of a fiat support, as a board or table, a quantity of sand or like material, and an apertured sheet, plate, or thin board, the contour of the aperture or apertures therein corresponding to or representing the outlines of the body or divisions of land desired to be modeled.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of one of the apertured plates comprising the contour of Europe. Fig. 2 is a plan view of one of the apertured plates comprising the contour of Australia, the same being understood as resting on a table or other flat support, and having a quantity of sand applied to produce, by the aid of the apertured plate, the layer of sand on the table having boundaries corresponding to those of Australia. Fig. 3 shows the layer of sand produced on the table or fiat support therefor having the boundaries of Australia, the same being shown as further modeled with respect to surface contour. Fig. 4 is an edge view of the flat support with the layer of sand thereon in section, and showing, also in section, the apertured plate raised from the flat support, carrying away with it the superfluous sand.

In the drawings, A represents the flat support, which may be a board or table; B, the plate or board having the aperture a therein, which may be composed of cardboard, thin wood, or sheet or plate metal; and C represents the quantity of sand employed.

The plate B, which has the aperture a therein corresponding to the contour of the division of land to be represented by the sand, is laid upon the table and the sand placed thereon Within and also outwardly beyond the boundary of the aperture to a thickness as great as that required. The apertured plate is then lifted away from the flat support, leaving the sand representation of the continent or division of land and carrying away the superfluous sand. This operation, of course, is easily and quickly performed, does not require unusual skill, and saves much time and pains which have heretofore been consumed in obtaining the proper outline.

The modeling or modification of the internal and surface contour of the sand is performed as has been heretofore done in this general mode of geographical instruction.

The simplicity of the appliances and their adaptability for easy employment contribute largely to their utility and merit.

I claim-- The method herein described of forming and finishing the edges of sand-modeled maps, consisting in placing upon a suitable support a plate, having an opening through it corresponding to the outline of the country to be represented, and then covering the support through the opening, and the edges of the opening, with a suitable thickness of sand, and then raising the plate, substantially as shown.

ANNIE E. SHAW Witnesses:

WM. H. CHAPIN, L. I. HOPKINS. 

